Steareth-6
AKA “18-Hexaoxahexatriacontan-1-ol, Hexaethylene glycol, monostearyl ether, PEG-6 Stearyl ether, Hexaethylene glycol monooctadecyl ether, starbld0009543”
Surfactant
Ingredient Facts
Steareth-6
AKA: 18-Hexaoxahexatriacontan-1-ol, Hexaethylene glycol, Monostearyl ether, PEG-6 Stearyl ether, Hexaethylene glycol monooctadecyl ether, Starbld0009543
Surfactant · Cleansing · EWG: 4
Plant-Derived
Cleanser
Emulsifier
Plant Oil
Not Clean
Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-octadecyl-.omega.-hydroxy
Effective at 11.51%
CAS #
9005-00-9, 2420-29-3
See origin →
Functions
Cleansing
Makes oil and water mix so dirt, makeup, and sunscreen can actually be washed away. The reason your face wash foams.
Emulsifying
Forces oil and water to stay mixed instead of separating into layers. The unsung hero holding your lotion together.
Cleansing Surfactant
Emulsifier
Removes Impurities
Mixes Oil & Water
Traditional Use
A synthetic nonionic surfactant produced by ethoxylating stearic acid, developed in the 1950s for cosmetics manufacturing. Used as an emulsifier to stabilize oil-water mixtures.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Phototoxicity Concern
Concentration Guide
0.02%
23.0%
0%32%
Effective Range
CIR reported use: 18-23 | 0.02-0.4 | 0.2-1
Regulatory Agencies
Verified Jun 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR